Cook yummy foods – fast

I love to cook, however, I don’t love deciding what to cook every night, and I don’t want to be in the kitchen for hours. So I signed up for Wish magazine’s 20 minute Supper Club. What is it? Well, every week, they send you an email with 4 new recipes (because no one cooks something new every night of the week, gotta get those fajitas in there). They’re simple, easy to follow, healthy and won’t take much time to prepare. Even if you only make one thing a week from the list, I’m pretty sure it will spice up your weekly routine.

Check it out on wish.ca

Posted by Meg

Learn Something New

I know Meg mentioned Wellington Beach/Picton recently, but I was there on Saturday for Dragon Boat Racing with the Herch social club (side note: extremely fun), and I passed this place:

It’s the Waring House in Picton, and in addition to a restaurant & inn, they also have a cooking school! No experience required (for those of us who can’t yet call ourselves ‘gourmet chefs’). You can join a class or arrange a private group lesson. Recent courses have included The Thai Grill and Under the Tuscan Sun. Classes run on Saturday mornings during the winter and two nights per week in the summer. And, yes, you get to eat what you make. Makes me hungry just writing about it!

http://www.pec.on.ca/waringhouse/cookery.html

Posted by Em

Weekend Pick: We like…

… Brunch on the Pan Chancho patio. No, it’s not a formally organized event, per se. It’s just one of those great summer spots that you should definitely try if you:

(a) like brunch

(b) like patios

You will find that (a) is delicious and (b) is adorable. Adds up to a great hangover cure by my calculations!

Posted by Em

Weekend Pick: We like….

… Taste of Kingston! The 9th instalment of this annual outdoor food festival takes place tomorrow (Saturday, July 21st) from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Head on down to Confederation Park (across the street from the Herch Social Club) to sample tasty treats from Kingston’s best restaurants, bid on a Silent Auction item, or sit back and listen to some music.  Yum!

Presented by the Canadian Diabetes Association & The Boys and Girls Club of Kingston

Posted by Em

Summer pizza

I can’t believe it has taken me this long to write about my favorite restaurant in Kingston. Not only does Woodenheads make great pizza, but they also provide a classy, downtown ambiance that keeps me coming back. The back patio is my favorite spot – a little hideaway to enjoy yummy wine, pizza and company, for not too much money. And although they have some great non-pizza menu items, I recommend the pizza all the way. My favorite: The Louisianna – and for a little extra kick, I replace the Mushroom Sauce with their Super Dynamite sauce. Runners up include: Dynamo, Loco, Vesuvia or just the classic Giovane (pepperoni and cheese).

If you’re from Kingston, you know where it is, but if you’re not it’s at 192 Ontario Street; oh and make a reservation on the busy nights, trust me, you’ll need it: (613)549-1812.

Posted by Meg

Veggies on my door step

Day 1 of getting fresh, organic produce – and I can’t believe how excited I am. My small mixed basket of fresh veggies cost only $25 and was dropped off right at my door step. Cucumbers, arugula, romaine, green onions, zucchini, tomatoes and baby turnip were all thrown in, and they leave you with the box to return to them the next week. Not only do they deliver local organic produce, they’ll also bring you organic meats, fish, and prepared groceries.

I get the mixed, because I like the surprise, check out their site for more details: http://www.dlgardens.com/

Posted by meg

Great groceries: If I had all day…

… I’d spend it grocery shopping. Armed and ready with my list for the week, and a tank full of gas, I’d head to Food Basics, for just that, the basics. Dry goods like beans, whole wheat pasta, cereal, frozen pizza – stuff that can’t go bad and won’t break the bank. For my fish and flowers, my next stop would be Loblaws. Typically I think Loblaws costs more because of how pretty everything looks, but their flowers last longer and their fish is always fresh, spending more here is ok, because I know there’s money to be saved for my produce just up the street at Produce Town. Every time I shop here, I find it nearly impossible to spend more than $40, even on a full cart of fresh veggies and fruits. Finally, on my way home, I pick up meat (pork, steaks, skin-on/bone-in chicken breasts) and bread (fresh bread delivered daily from all the goodies in town) at Bearances. It’s family run and everyone in there knows your name…it makes me happy, and it’s a perfect end to my perfect day.

Stay tuned for more grocery adventures when I have organics delivered to my door!

Posted by Meg

What’s for dinner…tonight

From work, to Ultimate frisbee, to the club (the “Herch”), the thought of cooking tonight hardly crossed my mind. However, with a wedding to pay for and a house to fix, another dinner out wasn’t in the budget.

So, I went with my old stand by, Chicken Fajitas, and dinner was on the table for two of use in less than 15 minutes (and less than $15). So here it is, quick and easy:

Ingredients:
-little bit of olive oil
-2 bell peppers (green, yellow, red, whatever); thinly sliced
-1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
-2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
-1 tbsp BBQ sauce (my face is the Chipotle from Masters Choice at Food Basics)
-1/4 c. grated Monteray Jack cheese (cheddar works too)
-salsa
-soft tortilla shells (whole wheat, flax, white, whatever)

Directions (are simple and you don’t have to follow them in the exact order):
Cook your chicken in the olive oil in one pan, and a few minutes later, put in your veggies (I like to use a separate pan for my veggies, but it’s not required). Once chicken is cooked (5-7 min) mix in with veggies (if they aren’t already) and add your BBQ sauce. The rest is just toppings, so add and fold.

That’s it, that’s all – enjoy!

Posted by Meg